RUNS COME IN BUNCHES AS BASEBALL CRUISES TO 22-2 VICTORY OVER ALBANY

3/31/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento State baseball team slugged four home runs and posted five innings of three runs or more on their way to a 22-2 victory over the Albany Great Danes on Wednesday, March 31.

With the victory, the Hornet improve to 8-14-1, while the Great Danes fall to 1-18. The 22-2 margin was the most runs scored and the largest margin of victory for the Hornets since a 31-3 triumph over Rhode Island on March 8, 1997.

In a contest that ended in dominant fashion for the Hornets, they actually trailed 1-0 in the top of the first following a solo home run by Albany's Pete DiResta. The Hornets took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning, as following two walks and a hit batter that loaded the bases, junior Jake Chilton connected on a RBI single and junior Trevor Bloom singled through the left side, giving the Hornets a 2-1 lead. Sacramento State plated one more runner in the inning, as senior Justin Mezzaneras provided a RBI fielder's choice groundout, giving the home team a 3-1 lead after one.

Three more runs crossed home plate in the bottom of the second on one swing of the bat as junior Kirby Young hit a three-run homer to right field, giving the Hornets a 6-1 lead. The Great Danes cut the lead to 6-2 in the top of the fourth as Brendan Rowland hit a leadoff solo homer to left-center field, but it would be the closest Albany would draw.

Sacramento State put up their third three run inning in the fourth on a RBI single by junior Trevor Paine and a two-run homer by Chilton, taking a 9-2 advantage.

The Hornets would then strike for 13 runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh to put the game away. Six runs crossed home plate in the sixth as Bloom and sophomore Justin Lamb provided RBI singles, and with the bases loaded and two down, senior Josh Powers blasted a grand slam to left, giving Sacramento State a 15-2 advantage.

The seven run seventh for Sacramento State included a RBI walk by freshman Andrew Ayers, a run scoring wild pitch, a RBI single by Powers, a run scoring double play, a RBI double by Young, and a two run homer by Paine. The Hornets were held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, accounting for the final total of 22-2.

Sophomore Jesse Darrah (2-2) picked up the win for the Hornets, allowing two runs on four hits in eight innings while striking out six. Freshman Jason Hampton struck out a pair of batters in the ninth to close out the game for Sacramento State. Travis Wilson (0-1) picked up the loss for the Great Danes, allowing six runs on four hits while walking three in 1.1 innings of work.

Paine, Powers and Young led the Hornets with three hits apiece, with the latter two posting five and four RBI respectively. 11 Hornets recorded at least one hit, while seven posted multi-hit games. DiResta led the Great Danes with a 2-for-3 performance, including a home run.

Sacramento State opens up a three-game series with the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Thursday, April 1. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Hornet Field.